LXXIX Therewith he smiled, and smiling gan to frame His looks so to their old and native grace, That towards him another virgin came, Heard him, beheld him, and with bashful face Said, "For thy mistress choose no other dame But me, on me thy love and service place, I take thee for my champion, and apart Would reason with thee, if my knight thou art."
Lx.x.x Withdrawn, she thus began, "Vafrine, pardie, I know thee well, and me thou knowest of old,"
To his last trump this drove the subtle spy, But smiling towards her he turned him bold, "Ne"er that I wot I saw thee erst with eye, Yet for thy worth all eyes should thee behold, Thus much I know right well, for from the same Which erst you gave me different is my name.
Lx.x.xI "My mother bore me near Bisertus wall, Her name was Lesbine, mine is Almansore!"
"I knew long since," quoth she, "what men thee call, And thine estate, dissemble it no more, From me thy friend hide not thyself at all, If I betray thee let me die therefore, I am Erminia, daughter to a prince, But Tancred"s slave, thy fellow-servant since;
Lx.x.xII "Two happy months within that prison kind, Under thy guard rejoiced I to dwell, And thee a keeper meek and good did find, The same, the same I am; behold me well."
The squire her lovely beauty called to mind, And marked her visage fair: "From thee expel All fear," she says, "for me live safe and sure, I will thy safety, not thy harm procure.
Lx.x.xIII "But yet I pray thee, when thou dost return, To my dear prison lead me home again; For in this hateful freedom even and morn I sigh for sorrow, mourn and weep for pain: But if to spy perchance thou here sojourn, Great hap thou hast to know these secrets plain, For I their treasons false, false trains can say, Which few beside can tell, none will betray."
Lx.x.xIV On her he gazed, and silent stood this while, Armida"s sleights he knew, and trains unjust, Women have tongues of craft, and hearts of guile, They will, they will not, fools that on them trust, For in their speech is death, h.e.l.l in their smile; At last he said, "If hence depart you l.u.s.t, I will you guide; on this conclude we here, And further speech till fitter time forbear."
Lx.x.xV Forthwith, ere thence the camp remove, to ride They were resolved, their flight that season fits, Vafrine departs, she to the dames beside Returns, and there on thorns awhile she sits, Of her new knight she talks, till time and tide To scape unmarked she find, then forth she gets, Thither where Vafrine her unseen abode, There took she horse, and from the camp they rode.
Lx.x.xVI And now in deserts waste and wild arrived, Far from the camp, far from resort and sight, Vafrine began, "Gainst G.o.dfrey"s life contrived The false compacts and trains unfold aright:"
Then she those treasons, from their spring derived, Repeats, and brings their hid deceits to light, "Eight knights," she says, "all courtiers brave, there are, But Ormond strong the rest surpa.s.seth far:
Lx.x.xVII "These, whether hate or hope of gain them move, Conspired have, and framed their treason so, That day when Emiren by fight shall prove To win lost Asia from his Christian foe, These, with the cross scored on their arms above, And armed like Frenchmen will disguised go, Like G.o.dfrey"s guard that gold and white do wear, Such shall their habit be, and such their gear:
Lx.x.xVIII "Yet each will bear a token in his crest, That so their friends for Pagans may them know: But in close fight when all the soldiers best Shall mingled be, to give the fatal blow They will keep near, and pierce G.o.dfredo"s breast, While of his faithful guard they bear false show, And all their swords are dipped in poison strong, Because each wound shall bring sad death ere long.
Lx.x.xIX "And for their chieftain wist I knew your guise, What garments, ensigns, and what arms you carry, Those feigned arms he forced me to devise, So that from yours but small or naught they vary; But these unjust commands my thoughts despise, Within their camp therefore I list not tarry, My heart abhors I should this hand defile With spot of treason, or with act of guile.
XC "This is the cause, but not the cause alone:"
And there she ceased, and blushed, and on the main Cast down her eyes, these last words scant outgone, She would have stopped, nor durst p.r.o.nounce them plain.
The squire what she concealed would know, as one That from her breast her secret thoughts could strain, "Of little faith," quoth he, "why would"st thou hide Those causes true, from me thy squire and guide?"
XCI With that she fetched a sigh, sad, sore and deep, And from her lips her words slow trembling came, "Fruitless," she said, "untimely, hard to keep, Vain modesty farewell, and farewell shame, Why hope you restless love to bring on sleep?
Why strive you fires to quench, sweet Cupid"s flame?
No, no, such cares, and such respects beseem Great ladies, wandering maids them naught esteem.
XCII "That night fatal to me and Antioch town, Then made a prey to her commanding foe, My loss was greater than was seen or known, There ended not, but thence began my woe: Light was the loss of friends, of realm or crown; But with my state I lost myself also, Ne"er to be found again, for then I lost My wit, my sense, my heart, my soul almost.
XCIII "Through fire and sword, through blood and death, Vafrine, Which all my friends did burn, did kill, did chase, Thou know"st I ran to thy dear lord and mine, When first he entered had my father"s place, And kneeling with salt ears in my swollen eyne; "Great prince," quoth I, "grant mercy, pity, grace, Save not my kingdom, not my life I said, But save mine honor, let me die a maid."
XCIV "He lift me by the trembling hand from ground, Nor stayed he till my humble speech was done; But said, "A friend and keeper hast thou found, Fair virgin, nor to me in vain you run:"
A sweetness strange from that sweet voice"s sound Pierced my heart, my breast"s weak fortress won, Which creeping through my bosom soft became A wound, a sickness, and a quenchless flame.
XCV "He visits me, with speeches kind and grave He sought to ease my grief, and sorrows" smart.
He said, "I give thee liberty, receive All that is thine, and at thy will depart:"
Alas, he robbed me when he thought he gave, Free was Erminia, but captived her heart, Mine was the body, his the soul and mind, He gave the cage but kept the bird behind.
XCVI "But who can hide desire, or love suppress?
Oft of his worth with thee in talk I strove, Thou, by my trembling fit that well could"st guess What fever held me, saidst, "Thou art in love;"
But I denied, for what can maids do less?
And yet my sighs thy sayings true did prove, Instead of speech, my looks, my tears, mine eyes, Told in what flame, what fire thy mistress fries.
XCVII "Unhappy silence, well I might have told My woes, and for my harms have sought relief, Since now my pains and plaints I utter bold, Where none that hears can help or ease my grief.
From him I parted, and did close upfold My wounds within my bosom, death was chief Of all my hopes and helps, till love"s sweet flame Plucked off the bridle of respect and shame,
XCVIII "And caused me ride to seek my lord and knight, For he that made me sick could make me sound: But on an ambush I mischanced to light Of cruel men, in armour clothed round, Hardly I scaped their hand by mature flight.
And fled to wilderness and desert ground, And there I lived in groves and forests wild, With gentle grooms and shepherds" daughters mild.
XCIX "But when hot love which fear had late suppressed, Revived again, there nould I longer sit, But rode the way I came, nor e"er took rest, Till on like danger, like mishap I hit, A troop to forage and to spoil addressed, Encountered me, nor could I fly from it: Thus was I ta"en, and those that had me caught, Egyptians were, and me to Gaza brought,
C "And for a present to their captain gave, Whom I entreated and besought so well, That he mine honor had great care to save, And since with fair Armida let me dwell.
Thus taken oft, escaped oft I have, Ah, see what haps I pa.s.sed, what dangers fell, So often captive, free so oft again, Still my first bands I keep, still my first chain.
CI "And he that did this chain so surely bind About my heart, which none can loose but he, Let him not say, "Go, wandering damsel, find Some other home, thou shalt not bide with me,"
But let him welcome me with speeches kind, And in my wonted prison set me free:"
Thus spake the princess, thus she and her guide Talked day and night, and on their journey ride.
CII Through the highways Vafrino would not pa.s.s, A path more secret, safe and short, he knew, And now close by the city"s wall he was, When sun was set, night in the east upflew, With drops of blood besmeared he found the gra.s.s, And saw where lay a warrior murdered new, That all be-bled the ground, his face to skies He turns, and seems to threat, though dead he lies:
CIII His harness and his habit both betrayed He was a Pagan; forward went the squire, And saw whereas another champion laid Dead on the land, all soiled with blood and mire, "This was some Christian knight," Vafrino said: And marking well his arms and rich attire, He loosed his helm, and saw his visage plain, And cried, "Alas, here lies Tancredi slain!"
CIV The woful virgin tarried, and gave heed To the fierce looks of that proud Saracine, Till that high cry, full of sad fear and dread, Pierced through her heart with sorrow, grief and pine, At Tancred"s name thither she ran with speed, Like one half mad, or drunk with too much wine, And when she saw his face, pale, bloodless, dead, She lighted, nay, she stumbled from her steed:
CV Her springs of tears she looseth forth, and cries, "Hither why bring"st thou me, ah, Fortune blind?
Where dead, for whom I lived, my comfort lies, Where war for peace, travail for rest I find; Tancred, I have thee, see thee, yet thine eyes Looked not upon thy love and handmaid kind, Undo their doors, their lids fast closed sever, Alas, I find thee for to lose thee ever.
CVI "I never thought that to mine eyes, my dear, Thou couldst have grievous or unpleasant been; But now would blind or rather dead I were, That thy sad plight might be unknown, unseen!
Alas! where is thy mirth and smiling cheer?
Where are thine eyes" clear beams and sparkles sheen?
Of thy fair cheek where is the purple red, And forehead"s whiteness? are all gone, all dead?
CVII "Though gone, though dead, I love thee still, behold; Death wounds, but kills not love; yet if thou live, Sweet soul, still in his breast, my follies bold Ah, pardon love"s desires, and stealths forgive; Grant me from his pale mouth some kisses cold, Since death doth love of just reward deprive; And of thy spoils sad death afford me this, Let me his mouth, pale, cold and bloodless, kiss;
CVIII "O gentle mouth! with speeches kind and sweet Thou didst relieve my grief, my woe and pain, Ere my weak soul from this frail body fleet, Ah, comfort me with one dear kiss or twain!
Perchance if we alive had happed to meet, They had been given which now are stolen, O vain, O feeble life, betwixt his lips out fly, Oh, let me kiss thee first, then let me die!
CIX "Receive my yielding spirit, and with thine Guide it to heaven, where all true love hath place:"
This said, she sighed, and tore her tresses fine, And from her eyes two streams poured on his face, The man revived, with those showers divine Awaked, and opened his lips a s.p.a.ce; His lips were open; but fast shut his eyes, And with her sighs, one sigh from him upflies.
CX The dame perceived that Tancred breathed and sighed, Which calmed her grief somedeal and eased her fears: "Unclose thine eyes," she says, "my lord and knight, See my last services, my plaints and tears, See her that dies to see thy woful plight, That of thy pain her part and portion bears; Once look on me, small is the gift I crave, The last which thou canst give, or I can have."
CXI Tancred looked up, and closed his eyes again, Heavy and dim, and she renewed her woe.
Quoth Vafrine, "Cure him first, and then complain, Medicine is life"s chief friend; plaint her most foe:"
They plucked his armor off, and she each vein, Each joint, and sinew felt, and handled so, And searched so well each thrust, each cut and wound, That hope of life her love and skill soon found.
CXII From weariness and loss of blood she spied His greatest pains and anguish most proceed, Naught but her veil amid those deserts wide She had to bind his wounds, in so great need, But love could other bands, though strange, provide, And pity wept for joy to see that deed, For with her amber locks cut off, each wound She tied: O happy man, so cured so bound!
CXIII For why her veil was short and thin, those deep And cruel hurts to fasten, roll and blind, Nor salve nor simple had she, yet to keep Her knight on live, strong charms of wondrous kind She said, and from him drove that deadly sleep, That now his eyes he lifted, turned and twined, And saw his squire, and saw that courteous dame In habit strange, and wondered whence she came.
CXIV He said, "O Vafrine, tell me, whence com"st thou?
And who this gentle surgeon is, disclose;"
She smiled, she sighed, she looked she wist not how, She wept, rejoiced, she blushed as red as rose.